05-20-2022, 04:25 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-23-2022, 11:39 AM by allbetsonjames. Edited 1 time in total.)
Dear Reader, at the time of reading this, it’s mid-season. My darling Tijuana is 7-0, but I ask myself how I can contribute more to our continued success? I go to our balance tracker (hi Wolfie) and see that I have a little over 2 million left in my account! That’s not enough for new equipment. So a quick little @all mention and the rest is history.
Today, let’s talk about Defensive Tackle Xavier Valorian. @XaveValor
Born in the year 2000, wait no. (Note to Self: DM Xave)
In the year 2027, the day April 7th appears just once. It is on this day that Freya Valorian gave birth to her new son Xavier in a hospital in the Northwestern part of Chicago. His father Garth was excited at the prospect of being a dad! As Xavier grew up, there was one defining feature about him that really separated him from the crowd: his hair. Now it’s light, but not blonde, no, it was more of a turquoise-grey. The other children at school harshly took notice.
Xave discovered football during this time and would wield the fire of their scorn to dominate. “Gramps”, as they call him, would soon hold the single-season sack record at his high school. Schools took notice but he opted to choose a different path. This would not last long.
Xave attended Bethel University and pursued a career in Business. Though he had his goals off the field, he came back to football and was yet again a dominant force on the field. In one game, an ISFL scout was in attendance and after being impressed by what they saw, invited Xave to declare for the draft.
Here we are in the DSFL. Picked up last season, he makes a big impact for the Ducks but his mind wanders to the upcoming draft. Who will pick him up? When will be off the board? The uncertainty. The drama. The horror of falling?
Oh that was quick. Xavier Valorian is picked up as the 4th overall pick by the Portland Pythons. Defensive Tackle, from what I understand, is a rare position. The Pythons actually have two! (Hi @Arkz).
Typically when I do these, and I’ve only done one so why make rules but, I’ll focus on one game where our protagonist makes a crucial play or is dominant all game. It’s the end of week 7 right now so before I pick one, let’s look at our boys performance so far.
Xavier is currently looking at 25 tackles and 5 TFL for the season. He’s also got 5 sacks and is chasing that Forced Fumble. Being an Interior Rusher, there’s gonna be a lot of intangibles that the sim does not pick up on. Sim just doesn’t record Pass Rush win percentages or QB Pressures. Among DTs, Xave is top 2 in most categories. Charles Chapman, fellow rookie DT is neck-and-neck with him on all of them. It’s gonna be a close race, fellas. Excited to see who comes out on top.
Now let’s break Xave’s heart a little. It’s Game 7 and unfortunately my guy, this is the game we’re highlighting. My typical breakdown/narrative, I’m back and forth on it in this one. For one team, it’s really tough to read in words what just happened not 24 hours ago (during the time of writing this). Sim went super-sim and gave us a historic performance by @friesen that is every special teams coordinator’s grand fantasy. But you know, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Random future reader, I don’t know why you’re here with me today but you’ll like this game! It’s Week 7 and the Pythons have turned purple to celebrate color rush. The game is set between powerhouses Portland and Norfolk. This truly will decide the true #2 in the league. But, oh boy, it’s gonna be a wild first quarter.
POR/NOR 0-0
First quarter has us watching Norfolk three-and-out thanks partly to a solid Portland rush defense. Punt! QB Boone McCoy finds his favorite Pythons receiver Ollie O’Donnell three times for a quick 38 yards to start off the drive. Franz Trinkenschuh and Jarvis Harbinger-Marjin then lead the rushing charge to take the Pythons the rest of the way until a pass to L. F. T. makes it 7-0 for Portland. A kickoff and one slow drive later accentuated by Spot Robodog and Akaki Akayre, Portland is getting the ball back.
Now let me clarify. Norfolk in this first quarter is getting handled pretty well by Portland’s tacklers. You know who you are and you’re killing it so far. In the interest of time and so I don’t sound like the play-by-play of the sim, I may only highlight key tackles and Xave’s impact on drives. I’ll just be unable to get everyone equally. But don’t think I don’t see you, y’all locked them up so far. And to Norfolk, well I’m a Pythons fan for this episode, my b.
So Norfolk manages to hold Python down to about 20 yards on the drive and they are forced to punt from their side of the field at about the 43 yard line. You know, in a punt like this, you just expect a few yards and then I just start off with Norfolk either completing the drive or punting it back. But no one told Ja’uan Holland the drill.
Eighty yards, dude. That’s the first punt return of the season and man, I missed it. But you know it’s good for 7 as it makes the game-
7-7 TIE
Portland gets the ball after a touchback. Jarvis goes 17 yards for the first down using his infinite demon potential(for those not following DSFL Lore, Jarvis is a demon prince destined to play running back). Not a minute later, he goes off for 47 more yards on 3rd down for that sweet touchdown. Portland refuses to go down and takes the lead. All that’s left to do is kickoff to end the quarter. But no one told Ja’uan Holland the drill.
Again, I missed another crazy kick return because the NBA never learned to share media time with the DSFL. But 101 yards on a kick return in the same game? Norfolk has found its weapon this quarter. Have a day, @Friesen1520.
14-14 TIE
We are finally in the second quarter of our game. Our boy Xave is fired up after being noticeably off the stat sheet thus far. A quick drive by Portland is shut down by Jack McPherson on the ground and Graham Harper in the air.
So Norfolk has the ball. After a big tackle by…Poopoo Inpee, there’s a fumble recovery and it is Portland’s possession once again. McCoy and Jarvis use this opportunity to raise the score to 21-14, it’s a competitive game. In Norfolk fashion, they get the ball and drive it down the field. But wait, at the Portland 37 yard line, we have Xavier Valorian with a tackle to make it a 3rd and 2 situation! They convert on third down and then convert again to be on the 18 yard line. A pass here could be a touchdown, viewers.
But it’s Xave with a crucial sack on QB Pete Zuh to knock them back to the 26 yard line! Unfortunately, this leads immediately to a 26 yard pass to Robinson to tie the game up yet again. Heck. The kickoff leads quickly to a 3 and out after a monster sack on McCoy by Kellan Frost to give Norfolk the ball back.
Pain.
A couple defensive stops and a few clutch passes by McCoy get the Pythons in field goal range to make it~
24-21 POR
The third quarter starts with a stifled drive by Portland that gets kicked away to the Seawolves. We start to see a lot more rushes this half as Norfolk moves to time management. What looks to be a 3 and out at first quickly becomes a 10 yard first down for Norfolk
Pictured above is Xave as he begins his revenge tour on Norfolk’s rushing game.
Pete Zuh tries to rush, taken down by Xave for no yards.
Pete Zuh tries to throw, 7 yards to Robinson, taken down by Suggs Upshar II.
Pete Zuh, at the 26 yard line, tries to run again. But that’s Xave to set him back a yard for a TFL.
It’s fourth down, they’re close but they opt for the kick. Kick good.
24-24 TIE
Unfortunately Portland can’t get anything going and opts for a punt(!?) on 4th and inches. So it’s back to Pythons D to make stops.
It’s a defensive battle. Tackles by Valorian, Robodog on the ground help slow the run. Tackles by Amir-Kani and Krause through the air make catches short ones at best. But it ultimately results in the second unanswered field goal for Norfolk.
27-24 NOR
A steady Portland drive headed by O’Donnell, Jarvis, and Trinkenshuh will take us down the field and into the fourth quarter. We start at the 26 yard line, 2nd and 2. A couple of rushes from Portland’s star running backs should be enough to convert.
Oh, or we can try to pass it twice. That’s fine. This unfortunately, and confusingly leads to a 43 yard field goal that will tie the game. But it goes wide. Heartbreaking.
After a big pass from Pete Zuh, and despite the rush defense from Pythons limiting the Seawolves to the 20 yard line, NOR goes up by another three.
30-24 NOR
At the kickoff, McCoy starts the drive off with a 22 yarder to O’Connell. Then it goes to Jarvis.
TFL for -1 by Clarissa Van Campen. Second.
Tackle for 0 by Rip Scorely. Third down.
Tackle for 4 by Adam Graves. Fourth and final.
Portland opts to kick it away. They never get it back. Norfolk keeps the ball on a slow drive for the next six and a half minutes to end the game at the goal line. Now, they spiked the ball with like 40 seconds. With the amount of shenanigans we saw in the first quarter, I’d have to certify this as a safe move. Coaches in the past have always opted to not “run up the score”. To have scored that pointless touchdown would be to invite demons(not Jarvis) into your home and curse your luck. But we can focus on Xavier as our defensive Player of the game.
9 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 Sack.
We saw Xave as a rush stopper and an impactful playmaker. A pass from 26 yards out is difficult and can’t happen every time he sacks so with performances like this and better team luck, we will be watching his career with anticipation.
As always, I’ve run a bit long and really focused on the game at large again but it’s good to have context. A big sack to make it 2nd and 17 is normally a death sentence for a drive but didn’t play out this way. DTs are less represented in the sim unless you look at what good DTs really do. Stifling the run game and creating pressure is really the main goal here.
(Scouters take note).
Pete Zuh is a QB that creates plays with his feet and was held to 2.5 yards per run this game. He’s rushing for 5 yards on average this season. This is largely in part to Xave’s impact and lockdown as we saw him.
Mobile QBs should be on watch with this dude in the league.
-Jason
Me 95%
Xave 5% for answering my questions
1899 Words.
Today, let’s talk about Defensive Tackle Xavier Valorian. @XaveValor
Born in the year 2000, wait no. (Note to Self: DM Xave)
In the year 2027, the day April 7th appears just once. It is on this day that Freya Valorian gave birth to her new son Xavier in a hospital in the Northwestern part of Chicago. His father Garth was excited at the prospect of being a dad! As Xavier grew up, there was one defining feature about him that really separated him from the crowd: his hair. Now it’s light, but not blonde, no, it was more of a turquoise-grey. The other children at school harshly took notice.
Xave discovered football during this time and would wield the fire of their scorn to dominate. “Gramps”, as they call him, would soon hold the single-season sack record at his high school. Schools took notice but he opted to choose a different path. This would not last long.
Xave attended Bethel University and pursued a career in Business. Though he had his goals off the field, he came back to football and was yet again a dominant force on the field. In one game, an ISFL scout was in attendance and after being impressed by what they saw, invited Xave to declare for the draft.
Here we are in the DSFL. Picked up last season, he makes a big impact for the Ducks but his mind wanders to the upcoming draft. Who will pick him up? When will be off the board? The uncertainty. The drama. The horror of falling?
Oh that was quick. Xavier Valorian is picked up as the 4th overall pick by the Portland Pythons. Defensive Tackle, from what I understand, is a rare position. The Pythons actually have two! (Hi @Arkz).
Typically when I do these, and I’ve only done one so why make rules but, I’ll focus on one game where our protagonist makes a crucial play or is dominant all game. It’s the end of week 7 right now so before I pick one, let’s look at our boys performance so far.
Xavier is currently looking at 25 tackles and 5 TFL for the season. He’s also got 5 sacks and is chasing that Forced Fumble. Being an Interior Rusher, there’s gonna be a lot of intangibles that the sim does not pick up on. Sim just doesn’t record Pass Rush win percentages or QB Pressures. Among DTs, Xave is top 2 in most categories. Charles Chapman, fellow rookie DT is neck-and-neck with him on all of them. It’s gonna be a close race, fellas. Excited to see who comes out on top.
Now let’s break Xave’s heart a little. It’s Game 7 and unfortunately my guy, this is the game we’re highlighting. My typical breakdown/narrative, I’m back and forth on it in this one. For one team, it’s really tough to read in words what just happened not 24 hours ago (during the time of writing this). Sim went super-sim and gave us a historic performance by @friesen that is every special teams coordinator’s grand fantasy. But you know, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Random future reader, I don’t know why you’re here with me today but you’ll like this game! It’s Week 7 and the Pythons have turned purple to celebrate color rush. The game is set between powerhouses Portland and Norfolk. This truly will decide the true #2 in the league. But, oh boy, it’s gonna be a wild first quarter.
POR/NOR 0-0
First quarter has us watching Norfolk three-and-out thanks partly to a solid Portland rush defense. Punt! QB Boone McCoy finds his favorite Pythons receiver Ollie O’Donnell three times for a quick 38 yards to start off the drive. Franz Trinkenschuh and Jarvis Harbinger-Marjin then lead the rushing charge to take the Pythons the rest of the way until a pass to L. F. T. makes it 7-0 for Portland. A kickoff and one slow drive later accentuated by Spot Robodog and Akaki Akayre, Portland is getting the ball back.
Now let me clarify. Norfolk in this first quarter is getting handled pretty well by Portland’s tacklers. You know who you are and you’re killing it so far. In the interest of time and so I don’t sound like the play-by-play of the sim, I may only highlight key tackles and Xave’s impact on drives. I’ll just be unable to get everyone equally. But don’t think I don’t see you, y’all locked them up so far. And to Norfolk, well I’m a Pythons fan for this episode, my b.
So Norfolk manages to hold Python down to about 20 yards on the drive and they are forced to punt from their side of the field at about the 43 yard line. You know, in a punt like this, you just expect a few yards and then I just start off with Norfolk either completing the drive or punting it back. But no one told Ja’uan Holland the drill.
Eighty yards, dude. That’s the first punt return of the season and man, I missed it. But you know it’s good for 7 as it makes the game-
7-7 TIE
Portland gets the ball after a touchback. Jarvis goes 17 yards for the first down using his infinite demon potential(for those not following DSFL Lore, Jarvis is a demon prince destined to play running back). Not a minute later, he goes off for 47 more yards on 3rd down for that sweet touchdown. Portland refuses to go down and takes the lead. All that’s left to do is kickoff to end the quarter. But no one told Ja’uan Holland the drill.
Again, I missed another crazy kick return because the NBA never learned to share media time with the DSFL. But 101 yards on a kick return in the same game? Norfolk has found its weapon this quarter. Have a day, @Friesen1520.
14-14 TIE
We are finally in the second quarter of our game. Our boy Xave is fired up after being noticeably off the stat sheet thus far. A quick drive by Portland is shut down by Jack McPherson on the ground and Graham Harper in the air.
So Norfolk has the ball. After a big tackle by…Poopoo Inpee, there’s a fumble recovery and it is Portland’s possession once again. McCoy and Jarvis use this opportunity to raise the score to 21-14, it’s a competitive game. In Norfolk fashion, they get the ball and drive it down the field. But wait, at the Portland 37 yard line, we have Xavier Valorian with a tackle to make it a 3rd and 2 situation! They convert on third down and then convert again to be on the 18 yard line. A pass here could be a touchdown, viewers.
But it’s Xave with a crucial sack on QB Pete Zuh to knock them back to the 26 yard line! Unfortunately, this leads immediately to a 26 yard pass to Robinson to tie the game up yet again. Heck. The kickoff leads quickly to a 3 and out after a monster sack on McCoy by Kellan Frost to give Norfolk the ball back.
Pain.
A couple defensive stops and a few clutch passes by McCoy get the Pythons in field goal range to make it~
24-21 POR
The third quarter starts with a stifled drive by Portland that gets kicked away to the Seawolves. We start to see a lot more rushes this half as Norfolk moves to time management. What looks to be a 3 and out at first quickly becomes a 10 yard first down for Norfolk
Pictured above is Xave as he begins his revenge tour on Norfolk’s rushing game.
Pete Zuh tries to rush, taken down by Xave for no yards.
Pete Zuh tries to throw, 7 yards to Robinson, taken down by Suggs Upshar II.
Pete Zuh, at the 26 yard line, tries to run again. But that’s Xave to set him back a yard for a TFL.
It’s fourth down, they’re close but they opt for the kick. Kick good.
24-24 TIE
Unfortunately Portland can’t get anything going and opts for a punt(!?) on 4th and inches. So it’s back to Pythons D to make stops.
It’s a defensive battle. Tackles by Valorian, Robodog on the ground help slow the run. Tackles by Amir-Kani and Krause through the air make catches short ones at best. But it ultimately results in the second unanswered field goal for Norfolk.
27-24 NOR
A steady Portland drive headed by O’Donnell, Jarvis, and Trinkenshuh will take us down the field and into the fourth quarter. We start at the 26 yard line, 2nd and 2. A couple of rushes from Portland’s star running backs should be enough to convert.
Oh, or we can try to pass it twice. That’s fine. This unfortunately, and confusingly leads to a 43 yard field goal that will tie the game. But it goes wide. Heartbreaking.
After a big pass from Pete Zuh, and despite the rush defense from Pythons limiting the Seawolves to the 20 yard line, NOR goes up by another three.
30-24 NOR
At the kickoff, McCoy starts the drive off with a 22 yarder to O’Connell. Then it goes to Jarvis.
TFL for -1 by Clarissa Van Campen. Second.
Tackle for 0 by Rip Scorely. Third down.
Tackle for 4 by Adam Graves. Fourth and final.
Portland opts to kick it away. They never get it back. Norfolk keeps the ball on a slow drive for the next six and a half minutes to end the game at the goal line. Now, they spiked the ball with like 40 seconds. With the amount of shenanigans we saw in the first quarter, I’d have to certify this as a safe move. Coaches in the past have always opted to not “run up the score”. To have scored that pointless touchdown would be to invite demons(not Jarvis) into your home and curse your luck. But we can focus on Xavier as our defensive Player of the game.
9 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 Sack.
We saw Xave as a rush stopper and an impactful playmaker. A pass from 26 yards out is difficult and can’t happen every time he sacks so with performances like this and better team luck, we will be watching his career with anticipation.
As always, I’ve run a bit long and really focused on the game at large again but it’s good to have context. A big sack to make it 2nd and 17 is normally a death sentence for a drive but didn’t play out this way. DTs are less represented in the sim unless you look at what good DTs really do. Stifling the run game and creating pressure is really the main goal here.
(Scouters take note).
Pete Zuh is a QB that creates plays with his feet and was held to 2.5 yards per run this game. He’s rushing for 5 yards on average this season. This is largely in part to Xave’s impact and lockdown as we saw him.
Mobile QBs should be on watch with this dude in the league.
-Jason
Me 95%
Xave 5% for answering my questions
1899 Words.